


The Brightest Blush

by writingonpostcards



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Falconers Faceoffs, Flirting, Fluff, Getting Together, Kissing, M/M, duh - this is check please afterall, kitchen based and food related flirting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-21
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-23 19:09:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,077
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17086046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingonpostcards/pseuds/writingonpostcards
Summary: The Falconers enlist Bitty to help them rejuvenate their meal plan. From Face Offs videos to his own vlog, Bitty grows close to one player in particular.3k+ of a Zimbits AU not-fic which segues into actual fic.





	The Brightest Blush

AU where Bitty is a food blogger/vlogger (okay so it’s not that au yet). He’s all about pies, and sugary, chocolatey, not-actually-that-good-for-you food which tastes _amazing_. But he’s also into following trends and health food is the next big one. Superfoods, and vegan diets and all that stuff (turning slightly au now). So he starts mixing in some more health focused recipes alongside his usual stuff. But it’s still based around the sugary, chocolatey, not-actually-that-good-for-you stuff. So it’s vegan chocolate cakes with ingredient substitutions that actually are _mouth-wateringly good_ , and faux fruit mince pies with nuts, and just really tasty ‘dessert’ and ‘treat’ type foods that are, like, healthy.

So while that’s going on, Georgia assistant GM for The Falconers, and their nutritionist - let’s call her Martha - are at the end of their tether with hockey players who rue their meals plans and dietary restrictions. They’re basically whiny and Georgia and Martha did not sign up for this. So Martha, whose been following Bitty’s vlog for almost a year now, suggests that Georgia contacts him to see if he’s willing to partner with Martha and actually figure out some recipes that are not going to make the team go crazy from carb overload and sugar withdrawal.

So that’s the premise. But this is really a Jack/Bitty story. So…

Bitty is flustered because he played hockey in college and he still keeps up with it and he really appreciates how The Falconers are progressing as a team. And Jack Zimmermann, first out athlete in the NHL, is on that team so Bitty has a soft spot for ~~him~~ the team. So after asking for some time to think it over, and then using that time to panic and swear and ring up his parents, he accepts the offer.

It’s actually pretty chill. Martha meets up with Bitty at the stadium in her office and she goes over what kind of meal plans she’s using, and also unearths a giant list of cheat day guidelines which has all these desserts and their calorie counts and serving sizes and it’s confusing as hell and Bitty’s like “no wonder these boys all complain so much, their food ain’t fun anymore” which is kinda his motto. Food is for fun. Enjoyment. Making you happy. ~~Sometimes bribery.~~

So Bitty and Martha decide that Bitty will go away and try to alter some recipes and cut down the calorie counts on a bunch of the cheat day foods. And that involves taste testers.

It’s actually an accidental thing, because Bitty was just in Martha’s office with a few samples of some tarts he’d spent the weekend altering and working on. He brought them for Martha, and he’s just cutting into a pecan tart when Mr. Jack Zimmermann knocks on her door and opens it. Jack’s surprised to see Bitty, but he knows Martha was working with someone to change the diet plans. Jack just did not expect that someone to be Bitty looking. And southern hospitality dictates that Bitty has to now offer Jack some of the pecan tart ( _“it’s pecan” “pecan” “no, pecan” “that’s what I said, pecan” “boys!”_ ). It’s not even his cheat day but Jack cannot find it in himself to say no. He is very very impressed by the tart. Martha realises that it might be a good idea to bring in some of the guys to help Bitty out. It was their complaining in the first place that lead to this, and they’re trying to improve it _for_ them, so they should get involved.

So they do a new thing where Bitty actually meets the team and every Friday he comes over after their practice and cool down with baked goods and it’s very informal. They basically fall over each other to eat some of everything he’s brought and then vote on what works best. Some of them actually have some good suggests for different ingredient substitution ideas - they’ve been coping with cheat day restrictions a lot longer than Bitty after all - and just general recipe requests as well.

Bitty is like an honorary team member. Everyone loves him. Jack gets the guys to all pitch in for a customised Falconers jersey for Bitty (Georgia said that was unnecessary and they could give him one for free but Jack insisted it was more sincere this way, to much chirping from his teammates). Bitty almost cries.

Months down the line and Bitty and Martha have redone most of the cheat day list, and also adapted the regular meal plans somewhat, even though Bitty’s strength is as a baker. The team are so in love with Bitty. One player more than others perhaps.

So Bitty is brought on alongside Martha in an official capacity which is great (regular pay checks and benefits). He keeps up his cooking channel which is now equal parts health food and tooth decaying recipes. But he - with input from Georgia and the team - starts a side channel which features Bitty teaching the Falconers how to bake!

It’s popular enough almost instantly, people who already watched the Falconer’s Faceoffs and other videos taking to it, and grows quickly because people love seeing the ridiculous interactions between Bitty and the boys, who are all friends by now. The chirping goes wild. There are several incidents that border on food fights. Bitty’s appalled expression always ends up giffed from those moments. There’s a whole series of videos in a Masterchef style where Bitty just gives two or more teammates a recipe and then sits back and watches while they try to make whatever it is. Winner gets Bitty’s perfect version of the recipe. (Okay, fine, Bitty always ends up coming over and helping because some of the boys get so confused it’s pitiful.)

And every now and then there is just a video like one of Bitty’s regular ones, where he bakes a thing and talks about his life, except that one of the Falconers is there with him. And when I say one of, I mean one only. It’s always Jack. Just the two of them in the kitchen. It starts at the team kitchen at the stadium and then suddenly, it’s a new kitchen, with less stainless-steel appliances, but more clutter and warmth. Tea towels and apron’s with steaming pies printed on them, herbs growing in the sunlight near a window, a fridge with photos and post-its cluttered on its front. It’s Bitty’s house and it’s Bitty’s kitchen.

The other videos continue to be from the stadium. It’s only ever Jack and Bitty’s videos that are from the other place.

It started, like the first time Jack and Bitty met, accidentally. Bitty had arranged with Martha for her to come in and film with him. But she gets really sick and can’t make it. Bitty tells her not to worry when she calls him and lets him know in between coughing fits. It’s really okay. Though it isn’t _ideal_ because he has a posting schedule and he needs to film this segment today so he can edit it in time for the upload. He’s trying to pull together an alternate plan using the ingredients he already prepared when there’s a knock on the door. He opens it and it’s Jack Zimmermann. Jack says he hopes it’s okay that he’s here, that Martha had given him the address and told him it was important that he be here so Bitty can film something for his vlog. Bitty just up and hugs him, squeezing the air out of him as well as he can. Jack wraps his arms back around him and Bitty lets himself breathe out and expel the stress before he welcomes Jack into his home.

Bitty and Jack bake two pies together, side by side. One is the regular version of a blueberry pie and the other is the adapted healthy version. While they’re baking, Bitty takes Jack on a tour of his house to pass the time. Thank goodness he’d procrasti-cleaned the other day. Jack is nothing but compliments and graciousness though. The house is small so the tour doesn’t take up all the baking time. Bitty offers coffee and Jack accepts and then they stand in the kitchen, watching the timer, and chatting.

It’s nice. Bitty really enjoys himself. He sees the boys quite often but never in this kind of relaxed, quiet, no-pressure, one-on-one context. He gets to hear Jack’s accent come through a little bit stronger when he talks about his photography. It’s all just really nice.

The pies come out and Bitty manages to convince Jack to let him tie a tea cloth around his head so he can do a taste test and try and tell the difference between them. Jack only chirps him a little about that (it hurts Bitty to edit it out later but he does after realising - how could he have missed it at the time - it’s a little close to flirting). Jack sits on a stool by Bitty’s counter as Bitty feeds him spoonfuls of both pies. Jack can’t tell so he asks for seconds. He still can’t tell and Bitty says is he sure he just doesn’t want more pie? Jack says it’s a bit of both. Bitty forces him to guess after the third taste and Jack gets it wrong which Bitty points out to Jack and the camera (for the viewers later) that that was the whole point. He claims the recipe adaptation as a success and types up the finalised version, sending it through to Martha with thanks for letting Jack come and help him out. Jack cleans up the dishes while Bitty does it, wanting to write it down while it’s still fresh in his mind. Jack finishes before Bitty and makes them both coffee without asking, totally at ease in Bitty’s kitchen.

Jack leaves before dinner, but not before Bitty and Jack decide to ask Martha if Jack can permanently take her place in the videos. Martha is fine with it, after all, that was the first of them anyway.

So on top of the regular Friday group taste testing, working with Martha on new meal plan ideas, and keeping up his regular scheduled blogging, Bitty films videos with Jack. He’s not sure whether to put them on his own channel, or the side channel with the team. They end up on the side-channel as it’s all for the benefit of the team, doing the recipe comparisons. It does get its own playlist though.

They’re not as popular, possibly because they aren’t as varied or funny. They’re more relaxed. Slice of life style, almost, as opposed to big events that Bitty organises for the team to partake in (competitive baking, taste testing, create an original recipe). The fan base is more dedicate to them though, with repeat viewers and commenters and people asking questions on twitter. People get a little meta with it because of one particular thing that they notice.

Jack and Bitty’s physicality.

Now, with a whole bunch of hockey players, _any_ video Bitty does with any of them involves a lot of physical contact. Slaps to the back, hair ruffles (which Bitty can dodge quite effectively now), arms thrown over shoulders, fist bumps, sometimes elbowing after a particular brand of chirp. But Jack and Bitty, when it’s just the two of them in Bitty’s kitchen, it’s a brand of touch that is altogether different.

It a gentle hip check when standing side by side, a brush of fingers across a back as one walks past the other, a knuckle swiping errant flour off a flushed cheek, fingers wrapped around a wrist to guide a hand in a certain direction, a hug when someone flips the content of their pan without anything dropping, a hand to the others’ chest when the timer surprises someone, a draping across someone’s back to watch their hands knead dough. Softer touches. Lingering touches.

By the time all this is happening, it’s obvious to Bitty: he really likes Jack.

By the time all that is happening, it’s obvious to Jack: he really like Bitty.

They’re filming somewhere nearing their twentieth video together. The two chocolate mousse varieties are out of the fridge, Jack’s on his stool, blindfolded, Bitty in front of him with spoons ready for the tasting. Bitty’s feeling warm and relaxed and Jack’s foot is tapping which is a sign he’s at ease. Bitty hums under his breath as he holds the first spoon out for Jack. He doesn’t even need to tell Jack it’s there, they’ve done this so many times. Jack reaches up, finding Bitty’s hand easily, and guides it closer to him so he can wrap his lips around the teaspoon. He hums out, long and low, and smiles gently, and Bitty returns it, even though Jack can’t see him. Bitty gets the second spoon ready, and Jack leans for it, mouth open, assuming that Bitty will move himself so the spoon goes in Jack’s mouth.

Bitty reacts a split second too slow, getting distracted by Jack’s wet lips and open mouth. It’s been happening more and more the past two weeks. Getting distracted by Jack. It makes Bitty squirmy when he notices.

The mousse gets on Jack’s cheek. He lets out a little “Oh!” and then laughs. Bitty apologises and wipes it off with his thumb, not thinking at all as he brings it to his own mouth to lick it off.

“Try again,” Bitty says, all breath.

Jack stills, then reaches out again for Bitty’s hand. He finds it, but then instead of moving it like before, he uses his other hand to take the teaspoon out of Bitty’s loose grip, and places it onto the counter. His hand runs up Bitty’s arm, finds his shoulder, and moves to the back of his neck, where his fingers creep into his hair and then press gently. Bitty moves forward, stepping in between Jack’s legs. Jack’s other hand comes to Bitty’s leg, then moves so it’s at his waist. Jack pulls, gently still, and Bitty moves even closer, breath shallow and pulse rabbiting.

Jack tilts his head up, and Bitty stares because he wants to. Because Jack’s still blindfolded and can’t see. Because it seems like Jack wouldn’t mind if he did.

“Bits,” Jack says softly, then waits.

Bitty swallows. Jack’s still holding him, but he’s stopped moving him and Bitty realises, no, he wants to finish what’s been started.

He goes slow so Jack can feel it and so he can savour it, the minute shift of Jack’s head closer to Bitty, the fleeting strengthening of pressure from the hand on his waist.

Bitty kisses Jack. Presses their lips together and doesn’t move, just _feels_. It’s amazing how much goes on inside Bitty as their lips touch. Fireworks, and waves, and butterflies.

He moves back but Jack tightens his grip and Bitty doesn’t get far. Jack moves forwards and this time Bitty’s in sync with him. Their lips meet again. Bitty gets Jack’s bottom lip between his own and sucks gently. Jack hums out again, just as low, just as long. Bitty answers him with his own sigh.

Bitty shifts his head to the other side, and Jack follows, his hand creeping up more into Bitty’s hair and further around his body so it’s sitting at the low of his back. Bitty reaches up for Jack’s blindfold and removes is slowly, taking the opportunity to bury his hands in Jack’s hair.

He pulls back and looks down. Jack stares up at him, eyes wide and pupils contracting as they react to the light. Jack looks wrecked. Pretty. Flushed. He looks as happy as Bitty feels.

“Oh, Jack,” Bitty says, reaching out to trace his fingers over Jack’s lips.

“Yeah,” Jack replies, when Bitty’s done, smiling up at him so easily, looking at him like he might–like he might really care for Bitty.

Jack reaches for the abandoned teaspoon, then holds it out for Bitty to taste. Bitty doesn’t take his eyes off Jack’s as he does, sliding the mousse off with his tongue then wrapping a hand around Jack’s on the spoon to hold it still so he can lick it clean.

Jack exhales like it’s been punched out and Bitty flushes with the recognition it’s because of him. He licks his lips and Jack mimics the movement.

Bitty extracts himself from Jack’s arms so he can go and stop the camera recording. He takes his time disassembling it so he can steady his breathing. When he turns around, Jack is standing, one hand pressing firmly onto the bench like he’s not sure he can go over to Bitty.

So Bitty walks over to him.

Jack watches him, wary, perhaps taking Bitty’s move away from his as a rejection. Bitty reaches to wrap his arms around Jack’s middle and across his back, pulling their bodies flush together. Bitty hugs him tight until Jack hugs him back, and Bitty can’t help but smile into Jack’s neck. He kisses where his smile pressed, then continues all the way up and around Jack’s jaw till he gets to his mouth again. Bitty kisses him slowly until Jack is humming and his hands tease up under the bottom of Bitty’s shirt.

Bitty pulls back after a final kiss to the corner of Jack’s smiling lips.

He’s building up to say something sappy when Jack asks simply, “Would you let me date you, Bittle?”

“Yes, Jack,” is all Bitty can really say. “I would.”

After they’ve had a few dates and many more kisses, Jack and Bitty tell the Falconers they’re together. The team is all so excited and supportive. They band together to make Jack and Bitty a cake which although not overly elegant in decoration, tastes just splendid. They don’t come out as a couple explicitly, but it’s clear in the videos they continue to do that they’re together and happy. The same physically turned up a notch, hands clutch hands and fingers entwining. Bodies draped with the addition of arms wrapping around in a hug. Hair ruffles follows by kisses to temples, cheeks, behind ears. Bitty stars calling Jack by a collection of pet names. Honey, sweetheart, darling. My love.

And if none of that were obvious enough, Bitty and Jack switch taste testing duty between episodes now, and Jack always throws in a surprise kiss while Bitty is blindfolded, which prompts the brightest blush.

**Author's Note:**

> Cross-posted [from tumblr](http://17piesinseptember.tumblr.com/post/151073398639/3k-of-a-zimbits-au-au-where-bitty-is-a-food) (no-one comment on the fact that it took 2 years!).


End file.
